33 CFR 151.07: Delegated pollution prevention authority to COTPs and OCMIs

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section delegates certain authority to Coast Guard officials designated as Captain of the Port, Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, or Commanding Officer, Sector Office. The authority covers issuing IOPP Certificates, detaining or denying entry to ships, receiving reports, and issuing subpoenas.

Applies toEach Coast Guard official designated as a Captain of the Port (COTP), Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), or Commanding Officer, Sector Office.

What it says

  1. Each COTP, OCMI, and Commanding Officer, Sector Office, is delegated authority to issue International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates.

    33 CFR 151.07(a)“Issue International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates;”

  2. These officials may detain or deny entry to ships not in substantial compliance with MARPOL 73/78, or ships without an IOPP Certificate or evidence of compliance with MARPOL 73/78 on board.

    33 CFR 151.07(b)“Detain or deny entry to ships not in substantial compliance with MARPOL 73/78 or not having an IOPP Certificate or evidence of compliance with MARPOL 73/78 on board;”

  3. These officials are delegated authority to receive and investigate reports under § 151.15.

    33 CFR 151.07(c)“Receive and investigate reports under § 151.15; and”

  4. These officials may issue subpoenas requiring witnesses to attend and documents and other evidence to be produced, in investigations of potential violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1901-1911), this subpart, or MARPOL 73/78.

    33 CFR 151.07(d)“Issue subpoenas to require the attendance of any witness and the production of documents and other evidence, in the course of investigations of potential violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1901-1911), this subpart, or MARPOL 73/78.”

Common questions

Who can issue an IOPP Certificate under 33 CFR 151.07?

Each Coast Guard official designated as a COTP, OCMI, or Commanding Officer, Sector Office, is delegated the authority to issue IOPP Certificates.

“Issue International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates;”

When can the Coast Guard detain or deny entry to a ship under MARPOL 73/78?

The delegated officials may detain or deny entry to ships not in substantial compliance with MARPOL 73/78. They may do the same to ships without an IOPP Certificate or evidence of compliance on board.

“Detain or deny entry to ships not in substantial compliance with MARPOL 73/78 or not having an IOPP Certificate or evidence of compliance with MARPOL 73/78 on board;”

Can a Captain of the Port issue subpoenas in pollution investigations?

Yes. The delegated officials may issue subpoenas requiring witnesses to attend and evidence to be produced in investigations of potential violations.

“Issue subpoenas to require the attendance of any witness and the production of documents and other evidence, in the course of investigations of potential violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1901-1911), this subpart, or MARPOL 73/78.”

The text of 33 CFR 151.07

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Delegations

Each Coast Guard official designated as a Captain of the Port (COTP) or Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) or Commanding Officer, Sector Office, is delegated the authority to—

(a) Issue International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates;

(b) Detain or deny entry to ships not in substantial compliance with MARPOL 73/78 or not having an IOPP Certificate or evidence of compliance with MARPOL 73/78 on board;

(c) Receive and investigate reports under § 151.15; and

(d) Issue subpoenas to require the attendance of any witness and the production of documents and other evidence, in the course of investigations of potential violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1901-1911), this subpart, or MARPOL 73/78.

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.